On August 19, 2025, the White House launched its official TikTok account (@whitehouse), posting a 27-second video captioned, “America, we are BACK! What’s up, TikTok?” As President Donald Trump continues to support the Chinese-owned platform, owned by ByteDance, despite a federal law mandating its sale or ban due to national security concerns.
The inaugural video, featuring President Trump and administration officials, gained 4,500 followers within an hour. In contrast, Trump’s personal TikTok account boasts 110.1 million followers, though inactive since November 5, 2024 (Election Day). The White House’s X and Instagram accounts have 2.4 million and 9.3 million followers, respectively, while Trump’s preferred platform, Truth Social, has 10.6 million followers.
NEW 📲 FOLLOW THE WHITE HOUSE ON TIKTOK 🇺🇸 AMERICA IS BACK. 🦅
➡️ https://t.co/zwDqYQR3PP pic.twitter.com/YdY7af3qjl
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 19, 2025Trump’s Shift on TikTok Policy
A 2024 law required ByteDance to divest TikTok by January 19, 2025, or face a U.S. ban. Trump, who initially supported the measure, reversed his stance after leveraging TikTok’s 1.6 billion global users to connect with young voters during his 2024 campaign. He issued an executive order delaying the ban by 75 days in January and extended the deadline again in June to mid-September 2025, allowing time to find a non-Chinese buyer.
The White House launched its own TikTok account, the latest signal of support as President Donald Trump continues to seek a sale of the social video app’s US operations https://t.co/uGiGpcZdo7
— Bloomberg (@business) August 19, 2025The White House’s TikTok account signals a strategic embrace of the platform to reach younger audiences, aligning with Trump’s campaign success. The move reflects a shift from his earlier attempts to ban TikTok in 2020, highlighting its role in modern political communication despite ongoing security concerns.
What’s Next for TikTok and the White House
As the September deadline looms, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain. The White House’s presence on the platform underscores its commitment to engaging diverse audiences, while Trump’s support may influence ongoing divestment talks, potentially reshaping social media’s role in governance.
